Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley to go Dancing on Ice

Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley will host ITV’s Dancing on Ice.

No longer on the ice: Holly and Phillip are defrosting as co-hosts of Dancing On Ice.

“Dancing on Ice continues to be one of ITV1’s most successful entertainment hits and I’m delighted that Christine will be joining Phillip Schofield to host next year’s show.” – ITV Director of Television, Peter Fincham

The 2012 series of Dancing On Ice returns in January 2012 with a brand new line-up of celebrity skaters and a new female co-host.

Christine Bleakley joined ITV in summer 2010 as primarily the co-host of breakfast flop Daybreak alongside Adrian Chiles. With audience appreciation at an all time low for the breakfast slot the duo were swiftly found other television series to work on out of daytime.

Bleakley is to also co-host ITV’s Christmas entertainment and charity event, TextSANTA, alongside Phillip Schofield this December. Christine takes over from Holly Willoughby, who will continue to present ITV’s This Morning and ITV2’s Celebrity Juice, but has other commitments over the winter season.

“I’ve always been a total Dancing On Ice addict so it really is hard to sum up how excited I am to be joining the team. My only concern was what a big task it is to follow the brilliant Holly and I can only promise her, Phillip and everyone at home that they couldn’t have a bigger fan of the show on board.” – Christine Bleakley

The BBC initially beat ITV to the format by airing Strictly Ice Dancing in 2004, a spin-off from Strictly Come Dancing. However ITV had already revealed plans to air an ‘ice rival’, to ‘cash-in’ on the popularity of Strictly, before the BBC put into production their version. Both formats were practically identical.

Christine Bleakley, resplendent in seemingly fake tan, will co-host Dancing On Ice next year.

Dancing On Ice airs from January on ITV, CTV, STV and UTV